Bit for harness bridle



Jan. 31 1967 W. C. BEACH BIT FOR HARNESS BRIDLE Filed March 10, 1966 ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates to a bit for bridles to be used on horses and especially a bit for a bridle to be used on race horses engaged in trotting races.

Practically from time immemorial, bits of the type referred to have been formed from metal. The average metal bit now used in racing harness of the type referred to weighs approximately 13 ounces. When it is realized that a race horse engaged in trotting races takes over 400 steps while trotting a mile, and with each step the head of the horse dips a short distance until the movement is arrested by the check rein, whereupon the horse consumes energy to restore his head to the higher position at each step, a tremendous amount of energy is exerted by a race horse simply during such head movements. Most trotting races are for a distance of approximately one-half mile and thus it will be seen that a trotting horse raises and lowers his head during such race about 200 times.

In connection with the foregoing expenditure of energy, it should be considered that the pivot point for movement of the head of a horse, as described above, is substantial- 1y at the base of the neck, where the neck joins the spine above the shoulders of the horse. In the average size horse, if the length of the ho-rses neck is added to the length of its head, at least to the location where the bit is engaged in the mouth of the horse, that total distance is substantial equal to the length of the 'arm of a large sized man. Under such circumstances, visualize the amount of energy required to hold substantially a 1 lb. weight in the hand of such man while his arm is extended horizontally and particularly if he moves that weight up and down a short distance during the average time of 2 minutes and seconds which a trotting horse requires to travel the approximate half mile distance of a trotting race, and some idea of the consumed energy of the horse can be appreciated under the foregoing circumstances.

To further appreciate the amount of energy required to hold the weight of a conventional metal bit of 13 ounces, for example, in the mouth of a horse, it is computed that the force required to balance the weight of said normal metal bit at its average distance from the pivot point of a horses neck is 43 inch-pounds. That is, if a 1" lever were extended rearward from the pivot point of a horses neck, 43 lbs. would have to be applied to the end of that 1 lever in order to balance the weight of a 13 ounce bit supported in a horses mouth its normal distance from the pivot point of the neck. It thus can be seen that a considerable significance as far as consuming the energy of a horse is concerned. Hence, in racing, it is much more useful if said energy can be applied to the endurance and stamina of the horse applied to trotting action, for example, rather than simply supporting a bit.

Under the foregoing circumstances, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a non-metallic bit having all of the structural capabilities and strength requirements of conventional metallic bits, yet weighing only approximately 2 ounces, including a metal ring of conventional size connected to each end of the bit, thereby providing means on the bit for ready connection thereof to a conventional bridle.

Another object of the invention is to form said bit preferably from a plurality of overlapping layers or plies of a laminated, composite strip comprising a multi-folded 33%,948 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 band of textile fabric woven preferably from flexible synthetic resin filaments, said overlapping plies being of suitable thickness and Width so that said overlapping assembly thereof is relatively stiff and approximates the cross-sectional size of a conventional metal bit.

A further object of the invention is to utilize the folded ends of the overlapping plies to provide loop means at the opposite ends of the bit to receive the rings by which the :bit is attached to a bridle.

Still another object of the invention is to connect the overlapping plies of such bit by longitudinally extending stitch means which not only impart reasonable stiffness to the assembled plies comprising the bit, but the rows of stitching are positioned intermediately of the opposite edges of the bit, whereby the rounded edges of each of the overlapping plies are so disposed when the bit is mounted in operative position upon a bridle and a horse engages the bit with its teeth, said teeth will engage said rounded edges of said plies and tend to squash the same in such manner that said edges extend over the stitching in a manner to protect it at all times.

I individual plies of an initial compressed thickness ap- 13 ounce metal bit used in harness racing can be of' proximately 4 that of the width of each ply, whereby when 3 plies thereof are formed in overlapping relationship and stitched together, the assembly is substantially as wide as it is thick, especially when the rounded edges of each ply are at least slightly squashed as when engaged by the teeth of a horse, which results in decreasing the width of the assembled plies and increasing the thickness thereof.

Details of the foregoing objects, and details of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprising a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exemplary side elevation of the head of a horse showing a bridle mounted thereon for purposes of supporting a bit embodying the principles of the present invention. I

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the lower half of a horses head, shown in a larger scale than employed in FIG. 1, to illustrate in greater detail the position in which the bit embodying the principles of the present invention is held in operative position within the mouth of a horse.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a bit embodying the principles of the present invention, the same being of the type illustrated of a smaller scale in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bit shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary transverse sectional view of the bit illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, as seen on the line 55 of FIG. 4, for purposes of illuztrating the normalcross-sectional shape thereof.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing an exemplary shape imparted to the bit when engaged by opposed teeth in the mouth of a horse.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, exemplary, somewhat diagramr matic and slightly expanded cross-sectional view of a said bit, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, is formed from a plurality of overlapping composite plies 12, 14 and 16, all of which plies are preferably connected at one end with the next adjacent ply, whereby the plies preferably are formed from a single strip equal to the total length of all the overlapping plies 12, 14 and 16.

The strip which is folded into the overlapping ply relationship, as illustrated in FIG. 3 in particular, is formed from a band of textile fabric of suitable width, woven from flexible, synthetic resin filaments or fibers which have great tensile strength in proportion to the diameter thereof. Synthetic resins suitable for the weaving of such textile fabrics are available in commerce under the trade names Nylon, Dacron, and other similar synthetic resins which possess inherent properties of being substantially entirely water-proof, resistant to molding and mildew, and thereby rendering fabric of this type highly suitable for the making of bits for harness bridles under conditions of use wherein the bit is substantially subjected to the saliva in a horses mouth.

An exemplary, preferred laminated arrangement of such composite strips is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically, and in somewhat exploded manner, in FIG. 7. By way of example, and not by way of limitation thereof, the composite strip which is to be folded to form the laminated arrangement of overlapping plies 12, 14 and 16 is substantially /2" wide and approximately Vs" thick. To provide such width and thickness, a band of textile fabric approximately 8 wide is selected so as to have appropriate length, and a folded composite configuration, preferably of the arrangement shown in FIG. 7, is formed by suitably folding said band of fabric in the following manner.

The opposite edges 18 and 20 of said band of fabric are basted together by a suitable row of stitches 26 of basting type formed therein adjacent said edge. The connected edges 18 and 20 are then brought into overlapping relationship with the folded edge 24 and are connected together by still another row 28 of basting stitches. The fold 30 formed at the opposite edge of the assembly thus far formed similarly is stabilized by another row of basting stitches 32.

Next, especially for purposes of rendering the opposite edges 18 and 20 of the original band of fabric safe from possible raveling, the assembly, which now comprises four layers of fabric, is further folded by turning the opposite edges of the assembly toward each other so as to meet substantially along a median line of the laminated assembly, thereby producing an assembly which is composed of eight layers or thicknesses of the original band of fabric and results in opposite edge folds 34 and 36 being formed.

Lastly, said edge folds 34 and 36 are brought into juxtaposition by folding half of the S-layer assembly upon the other half to form a final single outer fold 38 which then is opposite the juxtapositioned edge folds 34 and 36. Such folded configuration has smoothly rounded outer edges and the layers are maintained assembled by a preferably single central row 40 of basting stitches extending the full length of the folded assembly which, as explained above, for purposes of forming the bit 10, is approximately /2" wide and /s thick.

The completed bit is substantially of the order of about 6" long. To form the assembly of overlapping plies 12, 14 and 16, a piece of laminated composite strip of the type shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7 is selected which is approximately 18 long. At locations substantially /3 of the length in from the opposite ends, such outer thirds of said piece, which comprise the plies 12 and 14, respectively are folded upon the ply 16 by first folding ply 14 against ply 16 so as to form loop 42, and ply 12 is then folded upon ply 14 to form loop 44.

Before the folding actually occurs, a pair of metal rings 46 are assembled with the laminated composite strip and disposed thereon substantially where the loops 42 and 44 occur, whereby when the aforementioned folding has been completed, the rings 46 respectively will be disposed in the loops 42 and 44 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. This configuration then is stabilized in several ways. One of these comprises, preferably, the placing of a double row of stitches 46 longitudinally along the assembled overlapping plies 12, 14 and 16, said rows preferably being closely adjacent each other if not in overlapping relationship, and evenly intermediately between the opposite side edges of the assembled overlapping plies. The stitches 46 also extend continuously between the loops 42 and 44 but do not engage the rings 46. The thread used for said rows of stitches is preferably of the same material as the fabric but of a coarser size than the filaments used to weave the fabric.

Further to stabilize the assembly of overlapping plies, preferably double rows 48 of short, transverse stitches extend through the overlapping plies and between the opposite side edges thereof respectively at the opposite ends of the longitudinal double row of stitches 46, thereby not only additionally securing the ends of the plies 12 and 14 in operative relationship with respect to the assembly, but, in addition, these stitches serve to stabilize the loops 42 and 44 of the bit, whereby the movement of the rings 46 with respect to the bit is relatively limited. Further, the outer ends of the outer plies 12 and 16 may be heated to fuse the ends of the filaments securely together.

From FIG. 5, it will be seen that the actual crosssectional shape of the bit 10, when not mounted within the mouth of a horse, is approximately square, or at least the corner portions of the cross-sectional assembly substantially define a square configuration. As also will be seen from this figure, the constricting nature of the double row of longitudinal stitches 46 compresses the intermediate portions of the assembled overlapping plies tightly together, whereby the opposite rounded edge folds 38 at one side edge of each ply and the parallel folds 34 and 36 at the opposite edge of each ply tend to puff or bulge transversely, thereby providing comfortable, rounded edges on the bit.

The double row of longitudinal stitches 46 imparts rea' sonable stiffness to the bit so as to at least somewhat resist sharp bending or folding thereof, thus permitting the bit to serve the functions of a conventional metallic bit but without having the attending undesirable features of a metal bit such as injury to the horses mouth and otherwise inducing pain to the horse. Hence, the bit formed from the laminated composite strip by arranging the same in a plurality of overlapping-plies in accordance with the present invention provides a very humane type of bit yet provides all of the necessary functions of a conventional metallic bit such as transmitting the will of the driver to the horse through movement of the reins connected to the rings 46 on the bit 10.

Another desirable characteristic of the bit described hereina'bove and illustrated in the drawing comprises the fact that the very important double row of securing stitches 46 is shielded during use from engagement by the teeth of the horse. This is diagrammatically illustrated in exemplary manner in FIG. 6, wherein figurative upper teeth 50 and lower teeth 52 of a horses jaws are fragmentarily illustrated in engagement with the opposite sur-' faces of the bit 10 which is illustrated in operative position therebetween. It will 'be seen that the rounded, folded opposite edges of the overlapping plies 12, 14 and 16 are squashed laterally in even more extended looped arrangement than when the bit is in repose, which results in the opposite rounded edges of at least the outermost plies 12 and 16 very substantially overhanging the outermost surfaces of the double row of stitches 46 in a highly effective shielding manner.

The position of the bit 10 between the teeth of the horse, as shown in FIG. 6, is substantially assured from th ab 5 rangement shown in FIG. 2, in exemplary manner, wherein it will be seen that the ring 46 is maintained in the relationship illustrated in FIG. 2 with respect to the mouth 54 of the horse by means of the nose strap 56 of the bridle and the side straps 58 thereof, as well as the rings 60 which, of course, normally are under tension when the horse is running by the pull of the reins connected thereto. Such multiple engagement of the rings 46 at opposite sides of the bridle by the various straps and reins will result in the bit 10 being held in the horses mouth with the double row of stitches 46 being substantially parallel to the plane of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth 50 and 52 of a horse.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a very comfortable "bit for use, particularly with race horses, and especially horses engaging in trotting racing, while providing all the necessary control required of a bit. Being made of fabric in the manner described above, the bit weighs less than /6 as much as a conventional metal bit which it is intended to replace, there-by resulting in substantial saving in energy on the part of a horse and also resulting in less fatigue than results from the use of a conventional metal bit. Formation of the bit from textile fabrics woven from synthetic resins, which, incidentally, are tasteless, also provides a still further comfort to a horse, especially in cold Weather, by not subjecting a horse to the possibility of the bit sticking by freezing to its lips or tongue in sub-freezing weather as sometimes results when using metal bits. Further, injury to the mouth of a horse by use of such fabric-type bit is practically impossible.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention ,is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carired out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

1 claim:

1. A non-metallic bit for a bridle for horses comprising an assembly of a plurality of overlapping plies of a laminated composite strip of a multi-folded band of textile fabric woven from flexible synthetic resin filaments, said plies being substantially co-extensive in length, stitch means securing said plies fixedly in laminated relationship, loop means formed in the outer ends of said assembly of plies, and ring means extending through said loop means for connection of the bit to a bridle, said assembly of connected plies being substantially as thick as the width thereof.

2. The bit according to claim 1 in which said overlap- 6 ping plies are a unitary strip folded upon itself into a series of plies arranged in overlapping relationship.

3. The bit according to claim 2 in which there is a told at each end of said bit forming said loop means which receive said ring means.

4. The bit according to claim 1 in which said stitch means comprise a double row of stitches extending longitudinally of said assembly of overlapping plies spaced inwardly from the side edges thereof and the stitches thereof extending transversely through said assembly of overlapping plies.

5'. The bit according to claim 4 in which said laminated composite strips are folded in a manner to dispose the opposite edges of said band of folded fabric inward of said strips and thereby provide rounded folds at both edges of. said plies, and the axes of said loop means being disposed parallel to the planes of said overlap-ping plies, whereby said ring means will support said bit within a horses mouth with the rounded edges of said plies positioned for engagement by the teeth of a horse and said rows of stitches being disposed substantially parallel to the plane between the upper and lower teeth of a horse and incapable of being engaged by said teeth.

6. The bit according to claim 5 in which said rows of stitches are substantially juxtapositioned along the longitudinal median line of said assembled overlapping plies midway between the opposite folded edges of said plies, whereby said rounded folds at the edges of said plies will be positioned to be flattened and bulge outward over said rows of stitches when the bit is engaged by the teeth of a horse, thereby further protecting said stitches from any engagement by the teeth of a horse.

7. The bit according to claim 3 in which said stitch means extend longitudinally along said assembly of plies and additional stitch means extend transversely across said assembly adjacent the opposite ends thereof to define said loop means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 514,779 2/1894 Sears 547 523,612 7/1894 Withey 548 882,791 3/1908 MaCNiVen 548 2,460,912 2/1949 Wagner et al. 547

ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Primary Examiner.

HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, SAMUEL KOREN, Examiners. 

1. A NON-METALLIC BIT FOR A BRIDLE FOR HORSES COMPRISING AN ASSEMBLY OF A PLURALITY OF OVERLAPPING PILES OF A LAMINATED COMPOSITE STRIP OF A MULTI-FOLDED BAND OF TEXTILE FABRIC WOVEN FROM FLEXIBLE SYNHETIC RESIN FILAMENTS, SAID PLIES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY CO-EXTENSIVE IN LENGTH, STITCH MEANS SECURING SAID PLIES FIXEDLY IN LAMINATED RELATIONSHIP, LOOP MEANS FORMED IN THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID ASSEMBLY OF PLIES, AND RING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID LOOP MEANS FOR CONNECTION OF THE BIT TO A BRIDLE, SAID ASSEMBLY OF CONNECTED PLIES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY AS THICK AS THE WIDTH THEREOF. 